You might be advised to wait up to 2 years after treatment ends before trying to get pregnant. There are many ways to approach conceiving a child, either on your own or with a partner.
Options if you or your partner can become pregnant
- Your partner could have their eggs fertilised with donor sperm through IVF and then carry the pregnancy.
- If your eggs were collected before treatment or are undamaged after treatment but you’ve had your uterus removed, you could consider reciprocal IVF. This means you go through the IVF cycle and once the embryos mature, they are transferred to your partner to carry the pregnancy. This is legal in most Australian states and territories. In Western Australia, reciprocal IVF is currently only available for medical infertility, but laws are changing.
- If your eggs have been damaged, but you have your uterus and your partner has ovaries, your partner’s eggs could be fertilised with donor sperm and then you carry the pregnancy.
- If neither of you can provide eggs, you could use donated eggs.
If you and your partner produce sperm
You will need an egg donor and a surrogate to start a family. If your sperm has been damaged, your partner may be able to provide sperm. If neither of you can provide sperm, you could use donated sperm.
Options if you are single
You may be able to use donated eggs or sperm, including from overseas. Laws about donor eggs and sperm vary between countries, and there may be restrictions on exporting or importing them into Australia, so it’s important to get legal and medical advice.
Learn more about fertility and cancer.
→ READ MORE: Emotional impact of infertility
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Key resource
The information on this page is also available for download.
This resource was developed as part of the Western Sydney University Out with Cancer research project.
Prof Alison Brand, Clinical Professor, The University of Sydney and Director, Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Dr Daniel Brown, Clinical Psychologist and Researcher, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, VIC; Dr Rosalie Power, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy HDR Director, Translational Health Research Institute (THRI), Western Sydney University, NSW; Dr Sarah Bishop Browne, Palliative and Supportive Care Staff Specialist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Collette Butler, Clinical Nurse Consultant and McGrath Breast Care Nurse, Cancer Support Centre, Launceston, TAS; Prof Ada Cheung, Endocrinologist, NHMRC and Dame Kate Campbell Research Fellow and Head, Trans Health Research Group, The University of Melbourne, VIC; Dr Tiffany Daly, Radiation Oncologist, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Raymond Terrace, QLD; A/Prof Ian Faragher, The University of Melbourne and Head, Colorectal and General Surgery Unit, Western Health, VIC; Hall & Wilcox (law firm); A/Prof Peter Heathcote, Urologist, Brisbane Urology Clinic, QLD; Prof Richard Hillman, Senior Staff Specialist, HIV and Immunology, St Vincent’s Health Network, Sydney, NSW; Mads Kennedy, Project Coordinator, Silver Rainbow, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, NSW; Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Breast Cancer Medical Oncologist and Clinician Scientist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Madeline Lee, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Luke Mitchell, Urological and Sexual Health Nurse Practitioner, Men’s Health Melbourne, VIC; Nadia Reddish, Consumer; Dr Stephen Rowles, Sexual Health Physician and General Practitioner, The Centre Clinic and Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, VIC; Teresa Simpson, Senior Clinician, Psycho-Oncology Social Work Service, Cancer Therapy Centre, Liverpool Hospital, NSW; Mel Tume, Consumer; Prof Jane Ussher, Professor of Women’s Health Psychology and Chief Investigator, Out with Cancer Study, Western Sydney University, NSW; Syr Lumi Vor, Community Member; John Wenborn, Shine a Light (LGBTQIA+ Cancer Support Group). We also thank the health professionals, consumers and editorial teams who worked on the first the edition of this title. We particularly acknowledge ACON and Intersex Human Rights Australia for their extensive input on the first edition. Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag designed by Valentino Vecchietti (2021).
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
